The North Carolina Mason

May/June 2017

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The Mason
Official Publication of e Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina
Volume 142 Number 3 Oxford, North Carolina May/June 2017
NORTH CAROLINA
■ see OUTREACH page 3
By Beth Grace
e Mason Editor
Growing old is not easy. It brings
new joys and new problems. With
the wisdom of years comes worries
and questions you didn't even know
you had to ask.
But you're not alone.
A new program designed by Free-
masons and Eastern Star members
for senior Freemasons and Eastern
Star members is about to launch in
North Carolina.
Starting July 1, the Masonic and
Eastern Star Outreach Program of
North Carolina will begin working
with brothers and sisters age 65 and
older who want to stay in their own
homes but need a little help finding
resources, short-and long-term
financial aid, and a strong shoulder
to lean on.
e program is open only to
fraternal members in good standing,
and their families.
e program is funded
by the NC Masonic
and Eastern Star Home
Foundation LLC, which
also assists with funding
fraternal charity at Whit-
eStone, our Masonic and
Eastern Star community in Greens-
boro. e Outreach program will be
administered from the WhiteStone
administrative offices by Executive
Director Mark Kolada, newly hired
Outreach Director Crystal Carter,
and overseen by the five-member
MESH Foundation LLC board.
"We're changing the conversa-
tion," says Kolada. "Not everyone
who is aging wants to move to a
retirement community when they
need help. So many people are
able to stay in their own home but
may need a little help from time
to time to get over a rough patch.
at's what we're here to do: Help
brothers and sisters who just need
a hand."
How can the program help?
It depends on the needs each
person brings to the table. Each
client will fill out an application
and outline their needs, Outreach
Director Crystal Carter said. From
there, assistance will be tailored to
each need.
"We will get the whole picture
of what their lives look like, then sit
down and do a holistic assessment
of their needs together," she said.
Carter will go for a home visit as
needed, but otherwise will talk with
applicants by phone and work with
them to fill immediate needs and get
them help right where they are.
Answering signs of distress
Outreach service for aging brothers,
Eastern Star sisters debuts in July
Is our Grand Master
kicking the bucket?
Nobody drops dead from giving to our
charities. Here's proof. GM Gene Cobb is
surrounded by helpers just in case as he
drops a $20 into the bucket at a recent dis-
trict meeting. If you didn't get the chance to
join in the giving, all is not lost! Take a look
at Page 5.
Mark your calendars
Set aside the weekend of Oct. 13-15 for a
trip to Oxford. That's the date for the an-
nual homecoming festivites at the Masonic
Home for Children and Youth. Get more
details on the event on Page 3
"We're changing the
conversation."
Mark Kolada
WhiteStone Executive Director
Michael
Harding
photo